Northern authors will talk about their work at North Yorkshire libraries as part of Read Regional, the annual campaign promoting Northern books and libraries, which this year celebrates its tenth anniversary.
Read Regional is a celebration of new books from the North of England that connects authors with readers in libraries. Founded by New Writing North in 2008, the campaign is funded by Arts Council England and is now produced in partnership with North Yorkshire and 22 other library authorities.
For the authors, Read Regional is an opportunity to meet readers and talk about their work and to celebrate the vitality of libraries as centres of creativity and learning for the whole community.
There are 12 titles on this year’s campaign, including poetry, children’s books, nature writing and fiction. All 12 books are available to borrow from North Yorkshire’s libraries and after the campaign will remain in stock, adding to the wealth of new northern literature readers can borrow. Reading guides to each book can be downloaded from www.readregional.com.
Three writers will visit libraries in North Yorkshire. They are:
- David Mark, author of The Zealot’s Bones: Eastfield community library, Monday, 14 May, 2pm, 01609 536133.
- Jenn Ashworth, author of Fell: Ingleton community library, Monday, 21 May, 6pm, 01609 534504.
- Jane Austin, author of News from Nowhere: Sherburn community library, Wednesday, 6 June, 7pm, 01609 536033.
For more information and to buy tickets, contact the library.
County Councillor Greg White, Executive Member for Library and Information Services, said: “I’m delighted that North Yorkshire libraries are once again involved in the Read Regional project. Author visits are always popular with readers, and the opportunity to meet northern authors gives these events added appeal.”
Claire Malcolm, chief executive of New Writing North, the development agency for creative writing and reading in the North of England, said: “There has never been a more important time to support our local libraries. Read Regional is ten years old this year and over this period things have changed a great deal for libraries with the onset of austerity programmes for local authorities. These have been challenging times with many libraries undertaking great change. Through Read Regional, our partner libraries have continued to support our campaign and authors, working hard to ensure that regional writers get great opportunities and that their readers can access wonderful books and events.”
David (DM) Mark is based in and writes about Hull. The Zealot’s Bones is his first historical crime fiction. He is known for his crime series featuring DS Aector McAvoy and Trish Pharoah. The first in the series, Dark Winter, was selected for the Harrogate New Blood panel and was a Richard & Judy choice. Before becoming a full-time author, David was a journalist working the crime beat.
Jenn Ashworth was born in Preston. Her first novel, A Kind of Intimacy, was published in 2009 and won a Betty Trask Award. In 2011 she was chosen by BBC’s The Culture Show as one of the 12 best new British novelists.
Jane Austin was born in Liverpool and now lives in York. She started writing at 68. News from Nowhere, her debut novel, is inspired by a collection of letters written a century ago by three of Jane’s family as they served on the Western Front during the First World War.
The other books on the 2018 list are:
- Girl Zero by A A Dhand
- Take This One to Bed by Antony Dunn
- How Saints Die by Carmen Marcus
- Fish Boy by Chloe Daykin
- An Honest Deceit by Guy Mankowski
- Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World by Kate Pankhurst
- Basic Nest Architecture by Polly Atkin
- A Sweet, Wild Note by Richard Smyth
- The Companion by Sarah Dunnakey